Lead a sacrificial cult in The Shrouded Isle

Get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and seek a simpler life with a lonely island community serving an inscrutable bloodthirsty god in The Shrouded Isle [official site], released today. Yes, our new role in life is high priest of a village where, every season, someone must be sacrificed to our god sleeping beneath the waves. I’ve had worse jobs. But with five local families vying for power (and for not-being-sacrificed), the cult management game might get tricky.

Developers Kitfox Games explain the general idea:

“In this cult manager, there are sinners aplenty, and not all are eager to confess. Each member of your community has 2 hidden traits – one virtuous, one heretical. If you’ve earned the favor of their House, you may investigate their reputation. Otherwise, you may appoint them to your seasonal council and watch their work for clues.

“Five powerful aristocratic families help maintain the village, seeking salvation through book burning, monument building, and heretical investigations. Choose one advisor from each family to assist in their ancient appointed task. However, every season, you must make the ultimate choice, designating a human sacrifice.

“Closely examine your citizenry to find the best strategy for your people and beliefs, knowing that nobody wants their child sacrificed, even for the greater good.

“When our Lord awakens, will He find you worthy?”

I’m sure He will! I’ll try really hard, I assure you. I think co-cultists would describe me as a self-motivated go-getter. My greatest flaw? Ah, it sounds cliché, but it is that I’m a perfectionist. I can start today. And yes, I do have my own knife.

The Shrouded Isle is out for Windows and Mac on Steam, priced at £6.29/8,99€/$8.99 with the 10% launch discount.

It’s based on The Sacrifice, a game the gang made for a game jam in 2015. You can still download and play The Sacrifice free from Itch but obviously it doesn’t represent the full follow-up.